Mini Cooper SE review: The perfect small EV package

My first car was an old 1970s Mini van and, boy, that was primitive. It was damn slow too. The latest Mini Cooper SE though is a completely different proposition. It’s certainly not primitive and it’s also rather quick. The last time I drove an electric Mini was a few years ago and the other big difference with the model I’ve just been testing is that this one comes with a decent range too.

Now I know a lot of Mini purists tend to spend time fretting about how little the modern-day car has in common with its roots. However, I’m all for the change as this is a great little hot hatch that suits my preference for compact EVs over bloated all-electric SUVs. There’s plenty of very cool retro appeal too, with a neat attention to detail to be found, especially on the inside. I’ve found it a very easy car to like.

The styling

A man brought my Mini Cooper SE on a truck, meaning it was fully charged from the off, which is always a bonus. However, the best part about seeing it roll down the ramp was the glistening metallic Blazing Blue exterior finish, topped with a white roof. This colour really pops, while the latest set of 18-inch alloys look way better than the ones that were on the electric model I tried some time ago.

Combined with the darkened windows, the overall combination of colours makes the Mini Cooper SE really stand out from the crowd. It might have grown over the years, but this incarnation works perfectly for me. Opening the driver’s door was a treat too as it reveals an updated but retro-styled interior, topped with a fully digital circular screen that recreates the essence of early cars.

There’s even the same little row of physical controls underneath that, with an electric start switch where the original ignition key used to go. Mini designers could have easily not bothered, but someone clearly cared enough to go the extra mile and retain what made those old cars so engaging.

This being a model armed with £5,299.99’s worth of extras also meant that it had all the kit on-board. This included the likes of a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats, adaptive LED headlights, head-up display and an awesome Harmon Kardon Surround Sound audio system.

The drive

While I’ve been impressed with pretty much everything about the Mini Cooper SE, the highlight of having it for a week was definitely driving it. This is a car that gets better the more you’re behind the wheel too.

For starters, it’s an ideal size for having fun in, with a length of just over 3.8 metres and a width just over 1.9 metres. It’s therefore compact enough to throw around country lanes, but also makes perfect company if you need to pick through crowded city streets.

The acceleration was typically electric, with 0 to 62mph coming up in just 6.7 seconds from the 215 horsepower on tap. I tended to switch the car into the ‘B’ mode most of the time too, which meant that I got plenty of regen and enjoyed really good efficiency into the bargain. Rejuicing the battery was quick too, thanks to 95kW charging that delivers 10-80% in under 30 minutes.

The car weighs 1,680kg mind, but it feels nimble. The stance is also hunkered down and everything is topped with a great set of sports tyres that gave me plenty of grip. The ride quality is quite harsh on UK roads, but that’s worth putting up with for the fun factor alone.

The technology

This version of the Mini Cooper SE came fully loaded, with plenty of tech appeal even for anyone who’s not particularly interested in it. I think Mini has done a great job getting everything to work in harmony. The main area of interest is the central screen, which can be customised in both looks and functionality. I had fun selecting the ‘Go-Kart’ mode and the retro-style screens, while the way this screen works is really impressive.

Elsewhere, those expensive extras did make the interior of the Mini Cooper SE feel super premium. Wireless charging, the great little head-up display and lots of usable driver aids proved worth having. This is a very comfy car to drive too, with all the tech falling easily to hand and the front heated seats proving handy for crisp Autumnal mornings. Anyone watching the pennies would find it hard to justify the extra expense for all this, but seen here, this is an impressive package.

Mini Cooper SE verdict

I think Mini has got things just about spot on with the Mini Cooper SE. It’s great having the extra range compared to older models with titchy batteries. Better still, this is a compact EV that’s so well set up for fans of driving, with lots of acceleration, oodles of torque and all the handling fun you could expect from this legendary brand. The only minor gripe I could find was the way the boot lid had to be slammed quite hard to avoid the warning popping up saying it was still open. That’s certainly not enough to put anyone off the Mini Cooper SE though. I loved it.

Mini Cooper SE technical specifications